Bristol Sheriff Thomas Hodgson and Worcester Sheriff Lewis Evangelidis will meet with Texas sheriffs, Texas ranchers and Immigration and Customs Enforcement authorities for three days to discuss the lack of secure borders, the problems associated with the move and the timeline for how much longer they can expect to house the detainees.

Hodgson said their long standing contracts with ICE to house immigrant detainees was originally set up to keep those arrested locally in New England.

"Now because of this huge influx of people coming across the border illegally," Hodgson says, "we're now having people from Texas shipped up here. So everything we worked towards around good public policy, to cut taxpayers money around immigration is now for naught."

ICE spokesman Daniel Modricker released a statement that said four planeloads of detainees have arrived in Massachusetts from Texas since April. He could not say how many were brought here or at what cost to the federal government.

"Our federal government, the people whose salaries we pay from the president on down are telling those of us whose boots are on the ground in our communities who know about the issues about public safety and public health, we're not going to tell you what's going on," said Hodgson, who said he would never turn away any detainees sent to Massachusetts.

While he said there are currently 150 ICE detainees in his prison, less than the average 220 in the past, he attributed the lower number to recent Obama administration's policies.

"That's why we saw the number drop off," said Hodgson. "It's not anything to do with the fact there are any less illegals here. It's because the administration has made it more of a sanctuary country for people to come to and not allow us to do our enforcement work."

But ICE released a statement to downplay the situation.

"The majority of detainees on these flights have already been returned to their native countries. All transfers have consisted of single adults, ICE Boston has not received any family units or unaccompanied children on any transfer flights," said the ICE statement.

Hodgson estimated flying detainees from Texas to facilities around the country is costing millions.

The Patrick administration emphasized it is not costing the state any money and refused a request for an interview.

"State government has no role in agreements between sheriffs and ICE to house undocumented immigrants," said the administration in a statement.

But Hodgson said Massachusetts taxpayers also pay federal taxes.

"I don't care if it's in the pocket of state taxes or federal taxes," said the Bristol sheriff. "It's in the same pair of pants."

"If I were governor, I would be talking to law enforcement officials all the time about this," said Charlie Baker, a Republican candidate for governor. "I would want to know what the plan is. What the expectations are. Whose going to pay for this? How long is this going to last?"

Democratic gubernatorial candidate Martha Coakley was silent on the issue Monday, but her primary opponent Steve Grossman defended the transfers.

"States have a responsibility to be a partner with the federal government when it comes to humanitarian crises like this one," Grossman said.